plus, is al assad planning his escape. and encouragement from democrats that want hillary to run for president in 2016. i'm wolf blitzer, you're in "the situation room." >>> we begin this hour with the fiscal cliff. it's only a phone call, but it's the most notable movement we have seen. the tax hikes take effect in only 27 days. our senior congressional kor respondespo -- >> today, president obama and john boehner spoke by phone about the fiscal cliff negotiations, but there is no progress. they still have a stand off over the rates. the president still wants to raise rates on the top 2% of americans. the speaker is not moving on that position. this comes on the same day that secretary geithner made it clear in language they have not used before, just how far they're willing to go in the administration to stand by those terms. >> is the administration prepared today go over the fiscal cliff? >> absolutely. there is no agreement without those rates going up on the top 2%. and they all get a tax cut on the first $250,000 of